Kentucky Gives UCLA OK to Talk With Mills

UCLA received permission from the University of Kentucky Tuesday to talk with Chris Mills, the former Fairfax High School basketball player who last week was ruled ineligible to play at Kentucky in connection with sanctions levied against the school by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Coach Jim Harrick was unavailable for comment, but assistant coach Brad Holland indicated that UCLA would pursue both Mills and LeRon Ellis, who said Monday that he planned to transfer from Kentucky.

“When you talk about that caliber of player, any program like ours is going to be interested in them,” Holland said of Mills, a 6-foot-7 swing man, and Ellis, a 6-11 center from Mater Dei High in Santa Ana.

Mills’ father, Claud, said last week that UCLA was his son’s first choice. Ellis has not indicated what schools he is considering.

Gary McKnight, who coached Ellis at Mater Dei, said the center is planning to visit St. John’s, Nevada Las Vegas and Syracuse.